TEHRAN, January 19 (RIA Novosti) - The U.S. is plotting and funding a "velvet revolution" to overthrow the Iranian authorities, the head of Iran's counterintelligence office announced on state television on Monday.

"The U.S. is using its special forces in several countries in the region, including the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kuwait and others to put the velvet revolution theory into practice," the counterintelligence officer said.

A judiciary spokesman for the Islamic Republic, Alireza Jamshidi, said last Tuesday that four individuals had been detained in Iran in connection with "preparations" to overthrow the government. He said they had received funds from the Central Intelligence Agency and the U.S. State Department from a budget that he said the country's Senate had approved.

Jamshidi also said that there were dozens involved in the plot, and that the U.S. government had so far spent nearly $32 million on its plans.

"Iranian mass media will soon show the confessions of those arrested and they will tell of the U.S. plans," the counterintelligence officer said.